Going To The Chapel Of Love
by forensicsfan
Summary: The Las Vegas Marriage Bureau's 24hour Office is closing and it inspires a couple of our CSIs. NS


**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, I didn't create them, and I don't profit from them.

**Author's Note:** I read about the Las Vegas Wedding Bureau closing its 24-hour office, and I just had to write something. This is dedicated to the following people: Mel, for working so damn hard to become a doctor so accident prone people like me can get the best medical care possible; Ashley, because your stories never fail to brighten my day and you always ask about my furry children; and Brianna, just because sometimes you have to do really stupid stuff in the line of duty (otherwise known as your job), like learn to teach stuff you could just read out loud from a book.

**_Going To The Chapel Of Love_**

"Did you hear that the wedding bureau is closing their 24-hour office?" Greg looked at Sara with a delighted smirk on his face.

"Really." Sara smirked back, trying to keep from laughing at him. "That's interesting."

Greg lowered his voice conspiratorially. "What do you say we take advantage of it while it's still open?" It was no secret that Greg Sanders had nursed a crush on Sara for years and something like this wasn't all that out of the ordinary for him.

Sara felt a faint blush creep up her cheeks as a smug smile spread across her face and she arched her brows at him. "Well, I'm flattered by the offer, but it seems that someone else already beat you to it." With that, she lifted up her left hand and flashed a rock that had taken up residence on her third finger sometime between when the previous shift had ended and this one had begun.

Greg's mouth gaped open in disbelief and then befuddlement. "You and...Grissom?" He couldn't quite believe it; that would mean that the Bugman had actually managed to tell Sara he had feelings.

Sara smirked again. "No...not Grissom." No, she couldn't have imagined that Grissom would have been so impulsive as to propose to her in the middle of the locker room to someone that he hadn't even been dating; the most surprising part of it all was that she'd actually said yes and she'd been completely sober at the time.

Greg mentally began to check off all the men in the lab that Sara might have had a secret thing for, but he was at a loss. "What...who?" If it wasn't Grissom, he just couldn't figure out who it could be.

Sara smirked again. "Have you noticed anyone else with a new wedding band?" It was plain as day, but Greg didn't seem to be able to notice what was right behind him.

"No." Greg knew that Warrick was married already, and it couldn't be Catherine, neither she nor Sara swung that way as far as he was concerned and besides, it was only legal in Massachusetts.

A slow easy drawl sounded behind Greg as a locker shut firmly. "Are you giving my wife a hard time there, Sanders." Nick had a smug grin etched on his face as Greg turned around and all the pieces began to slide together.

"You and Sara?" Greg had an incredulous look on his face; he knew that Nick and Sara were good friends, but he'd never considered that Nick's feelings went beyond that.

"Yes, me and Sara." The way that Nick spoke those words sent shivers up Sara's spine and as he caught her eyes with his own he couldn't help but arch his brow at the memory of the last few hours.

"Wow." Greg shook his head in disbelief. "And I never even knew you were dating." He wasn't sure whether to be upset or offended at not knowing.

"We weren't." Sara answered as she leaned into Nick who had just moved to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The feel of his body next to hers made her blush a little at how this had all come about in the first place.

_Nick was leaning against his locker just watching her; in fact he'd been acting a bit strangely all night long as they'd worked their case and Sara was beginning to wonder if he was losing it. It wasn't until she glanced up and caught him staring and he didn't even try to hide it that she said something. "What?"_

_Nick smiled and just cut straight to the point. "Have you ever known something about someone for years and yet you've been too afraid to say anything about it?"_

_Sara looked at him oddly; could it be that Nick knew about her family; about the fact that her mother killed her father? As far as she knew, Grissom was the only one that knew her secret. She really didn't know how to answer Nick's question, so she continued to stare at him._

"_You see, I've known something about you for a long time, but I didn't know how to tell you...maybe I was afraid that you wouldn't want to talk to me again if you knew." Nick stepped fractionally closer to her, but his eyes never left hers as he continued talking._

"_Oh?" Sara felt a bit panicked as she considered what it might be that he knew; they were good friends, that was true, but she'd been very careful about what she'd shared even with him._

"_But then I realized that not telling you wasn't fair either; and if you don't want to talk to me...well, then I guess I'll have said my peace." He was standing even closer now, reaching out to touch her shoulder softly._

_Sara's brow was furrowed. "I doubt I wouldn't want to talk to you." She needed to reassure him; whatever it was that he knew she would deal with; after she'd made him promise to keep it to himself._

_Nick smiled. "Ok, then." He looked nervous despite his normally confident demeanor._

_Sara was feeling impatient and she tilted her head to the side. "What is it?" Perhaps her tone was too demanding, but she needed to know what he knew._

_Nick's voice was soft. "I want to marry you." He could tell by the shocked expression on her face that this was not the piece of information that she'd expected to hear. But she hadn't run away either, so taking that as a good sign, he reached up and caressed her cheek, repeating his words. "I want to marry you, Sara; I have for a long time."_

_Sara just looked at him, completely dumbstruck. It wasn't until she felt Nick's lips pressing softly against hers that it all became crystal clear to her; what had been a complete shock had somehow just become the most logical decision in the world. As Nick pulled away, uncertainty written all over his face, Sara smiled and then whispered. "I'll marry you."_

_Now it was Nick's turn to look shocked, but that lasted for only a brief moment as a wide grin took over and then he leaned in for another kiss, not quite as long as the first, but definitely infused with passion. When he pulled away, he was smiling again. "When?" The fact that Sara hadn't said no had really thrown him._

_Before she could really consider the implications, the words were out of her mouth. "How about now?" This was Vegas after all, and she was definitely not someone who stood on ceremony about anything._

"_Yeah, now sounds very good." Nick considered it for a moment; they really didn't need to wait, they had known each other for years and this was Las Vegas; home of the 24-hour wedding._

_Opting for one of the more subdued chapels on the Strip, they were married a couple of hours later; only stopping to purchase rings and to pick up a marriage license. And for some reason, the Bellagio seemed like a logical choice for their first time together. _

_There were no nerves; just a slow sensual dance as they undressed each other, softly touching and exploring each other's bodies, kissing and smiling uncontrollably; finding that it all seemed so natural to be together. The contentment that Sara felt as she lay there between the softest sheets she'd ever felt tangled up with Nick after they'd made love was something she hadn't really expected. _

"_How are you doing there, Mrs. Stokes?" Nick's pride at being able to call her that came through clearly in his twang and his fingers trailed down her back as he relished in the feel of her body molded against his._

"_Never better." It was true; as Sara looked into his eyes, she felt a completeness that made her wonder how she hadn't realized she was missing something in the first place._

Greg stood there still trying to process what he'd just learned. "So you're married, but you skipped dating altogether." He wasn't sure he'd heard them correctly.

"That's what she said." Nick grinned, holding up his left hand to show of the gold band that adorned it in case Greg was still having doubts about the fact that he and Sara had gotten married.

Greg appeared to be thinking about something and then a sly smirk appeared. "Well, if it worked for you two, maybe I could get Catherine or maybe the new girl in DNA to run off and marry me." He seemed to like that idea and made a beeline out the door of the locker room in search of a quickie wife.

Sara snorted out a laugh. "Do you think he'll succeed?" She had always thought Greg tried far too hard.

"Nah." Nick pulled Sara into a proper embrace and looked into her eyes with all seriousness. "You have any regrets?" He was pretty sure if she did have them, he would have known as soon as they'd woken up earlier.

Sara shook her head; grinning like a fool. "Not a single one."

_**The End**_


End file.
